


faithfully

by rxginamills



Series: love is lovelier the second time around [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/F, Family, Family Fluff, First Meetings, I love myself, Memories, Memory Loss, Recovered Memories, i had been wanting to write about them for a while now, i hope you enjoy this cause it's amazing, i love once upon a time with all my heart, i suddenly like jacinda and sabine and lucy more hmm, i'm really proud of this, season 7 of ouat is not my cup of tea, this fic is good from the beginning to the end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-18
Updated: 2018-11-18
Packaged: 2019-08-22 04:58:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,559
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16591265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rxginamills/pseuds/rxginamills
Summary: Ella and Tiana, or Jacinda and Sabine in another land, knew from the moment they first met that they would always be together, even when they were not.





	faithfully

**Author's Note:**

> C'mon. Jacinda and Sabine's first meeting was pretty gay.

_Through space and time_  
_Always another show_  
_Wondering where I am_  
_I'm lost without you_

 

* * *

   

Somewhere in the pit of her heart, Ella had known. When she had turned around to get a good look at her saviour and seen the beautiful woman in front of her, she had known that it was not random that they met that night, in that way. They would be in each other's lives for a long time.

And so they were. They fell in love and ended up raising a beautiful daughter together. It was almost suspicious how happy their family of three was after everything they had been put through, but Jacinda prayed their peace would never be disturbed. She prayed nightly that she would always get to have her wife and daughter with her, no matter where the world would take them. 

Unfortunately it was not meant to be. It was too good to be true. Ella's stepsister, Drizella, would wreck their land with the most terrible of all curses and they would all be ripped apart from each other. Ella had tried her best to keep her family safe, to keep everyone safe and she was failing and it ate her up from the inside. 

There she stood, in front of Henry's convulsing body and his teary-eyed mother, watching everything she had known and called home disappear and turn into something she had never seen before. Drizella had made Regina cast the curse, but Ella couldn't really blame the latter for doing it, since it was the only way to keep her son safe and _alive_. Ella would have done the same for Lucy in a heartbeat, she would've given up everything for her daughter's safety. 

A pirate stood next to her, clutching a small, white elephant made of glass in his hand. Ella could sense it was something of great importance to him. She turned to him desperately as the curse began to take place. 

"In this land… what's gonna happen to Lucy?" her voice was shaking, "She's just a kid. How will I find her if I don't even know she exists?" 

The pirate, Hook, looked down and then handed Ella the elephant he was holding. He closed his hand around hers that now held the elephant.

"With this. You'll know."

Ella was rendered speechless now. In her hands was an object that could supposedly keep her together with her daughter, but… what about her wife?

Ella looked behind Hook where she stood, beautiful as always, and strong like a tidal wave, regal like the queen she was meant to be. Ella had never loved Tiana more than she did in this moment, when she was about to lose her. She pushed the elephant back to Hook.

"No, I can't take it," she said. Tiana frowned.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because I can't do that to you!" 

Tiana walked to Ella, grabbed the elephant from Killian and shoved it back in her hand, "You will take this elephant and keep Lucy safe in this new land." 

Tears appeared in Ella's eyes, "But what about you? You're her mother too, she needs you! _I_ need you!"

Tiana kissed Ella shortly, but it was everything. Ella was crying now.

"And I need you, God, I need both of you to _breathe_. But don't for a _moment_ think that I will stop trying to find you. I will never stop, not for as long as I live. Lucy, you and I are meant to be together. We will meet again. I will find you." Tiana explained. Ella's heart was telling her to grab her little family and run far away where no one could find them, but she knew it was useless. The curse would find them no matter where they were in the world.

Ella wiped her tears and grasped the elephant tighter. She leaned her forehead against Tiana's and tried to take in every part of her before she would forget her. Then grey smoke washed over them, and they didn't even get to say I love you, and their world was overtaken by darkness. 

 

* * *

 

Tiana was not Tiana anymore, she was Sabine, a woman from Hyperion Heights who was openly a lesbian and drove a food truck, and she had no memory of her past as Tiana, a queen, wife and a mother. The curse made her believe that she had a wife and daughter, both of whom she lost in a car crash years and years ago. The memory haunted Sabine every day, on some days more than others, but it was always there. 

Then someone ran up to her food truck with feet half the size of Sabine's and suddenly life wasn't so bad, because at least she had gotten to cooking school and now got to make people happy with her food. The young girl reached up with all her might to get a glance at what was happening inside the truck and then turned back to yell:

"Mom! Mom, I want one!" 

The mother ran up to Sabine's truck, completely out of breath, and pulled her daughter back a little.

"Lucy, _please_ don't run off like that! Sorry, she get very enthusiastic when it comes to beignets."

The woman lifted her head and smoothed out her jacket. Sabine met her eyes with a kind smile, and in that moment she swore she had seen those eyes before, in someone else, perhaps in a dream. The Spanish accent in her voice was almost familiar too, and it took Sabine a moment to compose herself in front of this beautiful woman. 

"It's fine, I'm always happy to get a new customer. Your name was Lucy, wasn't it?" Sabine looked down to the girl. She was a splitting image of her mother, and the vision of the two of them made Sabine think of the family she used to have. Lucy nodded to confirm that it was indeed her name.

"Lucy, right, one beignet for you," Sabine placed the beignet in a paper bag and handed it to Lucy, who in turn gave Sabine a dollar. 

"Thank you." she smiled brightly. Her mother looked at her lovingly. Sabine could recognize a mother's love anywhere. 

"Thanks," the mom said, "C'mon Lucy, we need to get going."

"Bye!" Lucy waved as her mother began leading her away. Sabine watched them walk, her heart pounding. She grabbed a piece of paper, scribbled something on it and ran after the duo. 

"Hey!" she yelled, causing them to turn, "You forgot your receipt."

"Oh, thanks." the mom said and took the paper. She raised a brow. 

"This is a piece of paper with a phone number on it." 

Sabine folded her hands together and smiled sheepishly, "I know. It's my number, actually. The receipt was just an excuse to give it to you and talk to you a bit more."

The mom chuckled, "It was a mission accomplished, then," she held out a hand, "I'm Jacinda." 

Sabine shook it, "Sabine."

Jacinda was a beautiful name, thought Sabine, and she was glad that she no longer had to call her 'the mom' in her mind. Lucy was glowing as she stood next to her with the warm beignet in her hand. Jacinda crumpled the paper in her hand and held it tightly.

"Sabine," Jacinda repeated her name and it sounded way better on her lips, "Thanks again for the beignet. And this."

She held out the paper with Sabine's number on it. Then she walked off with Lucy, sending one last wave in Sabine's direction. She was left standing there, speechless at everything that had just happened. She had acted on impulse, as if something beyond her power was controlling her. Sabine felt attracted to Jacinda, to the love she had for Lucy, to her appearance and her _eyes_. It had happened in the span of a second, and a part of her wondered if she was being pulled towards Jacinda and Lucy only because they reminded her of her old family. 

It mattered not; Jacinda had her number, and she had the power to toss it away and never give Sabine a call, but she hoped Jacinda would.

 

* * *

 

Jacinda did call Sabine eventually. They went on a date, and then a second one, and almost planned a third one. Then Henry Mills arrived in Hyperion Heights and turned everything upside down. Sabine wanted to cry; not because of Henry's presence, perhaps, because he seemed like a genuinely good person, but everything his presence had caused. Mysterious incidents with the police, Jacinda's stepmother Victoria Belfrey corrupting the Heights with all her might and numerous other things were now normal in Sabine's neighbourhood. 

Just when she was regaining stability in her life, the balance was thrown off. She was genuinely enjoying herself with Jacinda and Lucy, because they brought her the feeling of unity and belonging she had missed after the tragic loss of her family. She had even dared to dream that Jacinda and Lucy might become her new one, but the future was so blurry now. It was scary to think about.

Sabine sat on her couch with a glass of red wine in her hand, thinking about the past few months with Jacinda. They were nothing official yet but they were making good progress in their relationship. There was a romantic attraction between them, electric and vibrant and beautiful, and Sabine was scared that with everything going on in Hyperion Heights she was going to lose that too. Nonetheless Jacinda and Lucy made her happy, and baking beignets with Lucy was already a Saturday night tradition.

Sabine, however, was not the only one taking interest in Jacinda. Henry Mills, the stranger who seemed to be putting the Heights in pieces with every step he took, was also attracted to her.

Sabine knew about Jacinda's bisexuality and was incredibly supportive of her. She was also aware that Jacinda enjoyed Henry's company, but just how much was a mystery to her. Sabine, of course, would never admit that she was jealous, even if there actually was nothing to worry about. She cared about Jacinda immensely, but it didn't mean she had control of her. If Jacinda reciprocated Henry's feelings and went for him instead… she was allowed, as much as the thought broke Sabine's heart.

She downed the glass of wine in a few sips just before Jacinda called. Her heart dropped into her stomach at her panicked voice. Lucy had collapsed.

 

* * *

  

Jacinda sat next to Henry with her head in her hands. Her breathing was ragged with fear. Lucy was being treated in the room right next to her, and she was worried out of her mind. Her daughter, her number one priority in life, had collapsed randomly in her arms in their apartment and was rushed to the hospital. Henry had come to be there for her in the difficult situation, and she had called Sabine next.

She walked through the door no more than five minutes later and Jacinda instantly got up to embrace her. She knew Sabine would tense a little at the sight of Henry, which she did. Jacinda had caught on to her feelings a while ago and she would have to bring it up soon to reassure her that she had nothing to worry about. 

Sabine hugged her tightly, sending a wave of comfort through Jacinda's entire body. Sabine was warm and made Jacinda feel safe like a person she once used to love with all her heart. 

"I came as soon as you called, how is she?" Sabine asked. Jacinda felt cold again and thought about her daughter.

"They're stabilizing her, I think she'll be okay soon. I hope so, at least." she explained. Sabine led the two of them to a few chairs on the other side of the room, opposite to where Henry was sitting. 

"Listen, she's gonna be fine. Lucy is a fighter, she's the strongest girl I know." she said. Jacinda smiled sadly.

"I'm just so scared. I love her so much, and I - I can't imagine what it would be like to lose her."

Sabine looked down without saying a word. Jacinda realized that she had launched a memory in her mind. She took Sabine's hand in her own.

"I'm sorry, I know it's a sensitive spot for you - "

"It's fine. Seriously. It was years ago," Sabine said quietly, "I haven't told you what happened, have I?"

"No, and you don't have to if you don't feel like it."

Sabine looked into Jacinda's eyes, "But I want to. I trust you."

Jacinda sighed and then straightened her posture, "Okay."

Sabine took a deep breath and then began her story, "Years back I had a wife and a daughter around Lucy's age. They were both so beautiful, and that little girl was half of me and half of her despite the fact that she shared none of my DNA. My wife carried her for those 9 months and it was amazing. She grew up fast, and she was magical just like her mother, and we were happy. Then one day they went to the movies - I had to work late so I couldn't go with them. They never came home. It was a car crash, someone was driving drunk. My wife and daughter were gone in a flash. It was like someone had pressed delete, just erased them from the face of the Earth.”

Sabine was staring into emptiness. Jacinda felt teary-eyed at the emotional story. She couldn't imagine going through what Sabine went. That woman was the very definition of strong.

"I'm so sorry," Jacinda whispered, "I'm so sorry that you had to go through that."

"At times I still don't understand it. It seemed like the most unfair thing in the world, that I had to be the one to lose my family just like that.”

They sat in silence for a while. Saying nothing felt better than saying something wrong. Then Jacinda spoke again.

”I lost a partner too, you know.” 

Sabine looked curious, ”What happened? If you’re okay with sharing, I mean.”

”It’s okay. It wasn’t always just me and Lucy, our dream team of two. When Lucy was little I had a partner; we weren’t married yet, but I wanted to make her my wife so bad. She and I had been arguing recently because she felt like she wasn’t ready to have responsibility over a child. Then one morning she grabbed her stuff and walked out. That was it. It’s been just Lucy and I ever since. She was so young that she doesn’t even remember my partner, and I eventually realized that we were better off like this. Just the two of us.”

Sabine clenched her fist, ”Lucy is the most wonderful 11-year-old I’ve ever met in my life, how could someone possibly _abandon_ her like that?”

”I used to think about the same thing, but we’re doing so well now. We may be struggling, but we will pull through.”

”I like your optimism. I didn’t really have that after the loss of my family. Then you and Lucy came along, and you were so wonderful from the moment we met, and now… I don't know how long it's going to last." Sabine said, glancing at Henry.

Jacinda frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Jacinda, I know you care about Henry. I know he cares about you too, a lot. He obviously has feelings for you."

Jacinda chuckled and held Sabine's hand between both her own, "You're right, Sabine, I do care about Henry. But not the way I care about you. Henry's been a great support, and he's a good friend. You're more. I _want_ you to be more, for a long time."

Jacinda could visibly see relief filling Sabine's eyes and laid her head on her shoulder. She felt content with Sabine there, offering her comfort. All she needed now was for Lucy to get up and run into her arms and _be okay_. 

 

* * *

 

Lucy woke up and chaos ensued and Victoria Belfrey died and Jacinda was stuck in the whirlwind that was her life and she couldn't seem to make it stop spinning. Everything was crazy, it was beyond anything that Jacinda had ever imagined. It was like multiple fairytales had come alive in the Heights, because Lucy had the deepest faith in her storybook, and after everything Jacinda had seen and experienced it was hard not to believe her. 

Every day in the Heights was more dangerous than the previous one and Jacinda had invited Sabine to stay over at her and Lucy's place for a while, to increase their feeling of safety. Nothing made sense anymore and Henry, that stupid, too-brave-for-his-own-good man was in the middle of everything. Wherever he went, trouble followed him.

Then he ended up clutching Roni's weak body on the ground while the pitch black clouds loomed above them. Jacinda stood in front of them, alone, and got a strange feeling of déjà vu from the situation. She had left Lucy with Sabine to keep her safe, much to the girl's dismay. She was smart and courageous and wished to join her mother in this strange adventure that she herself had a hard time grasping. 

Henry kissed Roni's forehead, and Jacinda felt a strange wave of energy pass through her body. Henry broke the curse with true love's kiss, and suddenly Roni was Regina and Jacinda was Ella and all her memories were back. She never lost a partner, she was right there next to her all that time. Tiana was out there, with their daughter, and Ella's whole being ached to hold her again. 

 

* * *

 

Tiana was standing in the kitchen when she felt it: all her memories flooding back as if she had never left the Enchanted Forest. She stood there, gasping like someone had pierced her whole chest. Tiana was not Sabine, Sabine was far behind, a mere memory now. Tiana was exactly who she needed to be, a queen, a wife and a mother again. Her family had been right there in front of her eyes even when she hadn't known it. 

"Lucy," she breathed, "Lucy!"

Lucy came running from her bedroom, "What is it? Is something wrong, Sabine?"

Tiana wanted to burst into tears right there and then. She fell down on her knees on the kitchen floor, "Not Sabine. Mom."

Lucy's eyes widened, "W - what? Mom? You remember?"

Tiana nodded with tears streaming down her cheeks, "I remember, baby. I remember."

Lucy threw herself into Tiana's arms and they collided into a crying mess. Tiana felt like it had been an eternity since she had last held her daughter. That's who Lucy was: her child, the girl she had raised since birth, and it hurt her to think that yesterday she had not even remembered it. Tiana brushed her hands through Lucy's hair and touched her face and arms to make sure that she was actually there. 

"I missed you so much," Lucy said as she pulled back from their embrace to take a good look at her mother, "I knew the curse would break, I knew you would find us!"

Tiana kissed Lucy's forehead, "I will always find you, Lucy, don't ever think that I won't. Now c'mon, let's go get your mom!"

They ran out of the apartment without looking back. There was fire in Tiana's feet as she ran through the streets of Hyperion Heights, desperate to see Ella again. They arrived at the park, where multiple other people were embracing their loved ones too. Henry and Regina were standing together, as were Robin and Alice. Between them Tiana spotted her brunette beauty, the woman she called her wife.

"Ella!" she screamed as loud as her throat let her. Ella turned and put a hand on her mouth as soon as she spotted her, because there was Tiana, who had let Ella be together with their child while she remained lost. They ran towards each other, and it was like something out of a movie. Tiana slammed her entire body against Ella's and kissed her like it had been centuries since their lips last touched. Her hand was in Ella's hair while the other one rested on her waist, grasping the fabric of her coat tightly. 

"I love you, I love you so much," Tiana cried, finally being able to say the words she had wanted to say before the curse swallowed them whole. 

"I love you too, I - I can't believe we're together again!"

Lucy dove into the hug with her parents. Tiana looked at her daughter and her wife, knowing that this embrace was where she belonged. The three of them were meant to be together and no force in the world could tear them apart anymore. Their adventure was far from over; Tiana looked at Henry and somehow she just _knew_ that it was not done yet, but with her family she could do anything. 

"From now on we're always gonna be together," Ella said. Tiana grinned and kissed her temple.

"And nothing or nobody can ever tear us apart."

 

* * *

 

 _And being apart ain't easy on this love affair_  
_Two strangers learn to fall in love again_  
_I get the joy of rediscovering you_  
_Oh, girl, you stand by me_  
_I'm forever yours_  
_Faithfully_

**Author's Note:**

> Fic title and lyrics from Journey's "Faithfully".


End file.
